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VOL I. PHIKTE© WEEKLt, M-DON SELL. :> CONDITIONS* t*t-i The Annual Subscription will be three dollars* half in advance. Hv - - t Subscribers living out of the Style will pay the whole.subscription upon the deli % very of the first number. i. Sri. No Subscriptions will be received for less .than one year* and no paper shall bc ? discontinued until arrearages are paid. j 4th. Advertisements will be inserted at the customary rates. fC7* Letters addressed to the Edi- To/ts must be post paid. ■/ . . v —— mm : Thb following GMtftlßMEtr are re quested and authorized to receive Subr script ions and give receipts for this Gaper , vis WatkinsvrtUy Dr. Wm. Wright -Mr. Joseph Moss* ‘,Jackson county , Capt. Boyle* Eexington— The Post Master* Greene county* Mr. Wyley Gres bam, P. M* Greenesboro'i Mr. Grant, p. M. Gratitsville , and the Post Mastery Potoilton, iVUkcs county** Mr. James Wing* field, P. M. Washington, and Mr. Hobert Grier. Jlaysvillcm— Mr* John Barnett. Columbia Court-House— P. Master. Hancock— Mr. Abercrombie) P* Al. and Joseph Bryan, Esq. Elbert on— -Mr. Wm. Wood** jpetersburgh— Mr* Alex. Pope* Augusta— Mr. Eraser! P* M* *«d Major F* Phinizy. Morgan— Mr. Cunningham, F* Mu fjfasper— Dr. Shorter. «Ptf/nflm**«*Brice Gaithers Esq. JifiUledgeville—the Post Master. Madison county—M.v. Long) P* M* And William Hodge, Esq. a /ttflnA/ih—*The Post MasteK . v Wushington • ‘ Warren— Tilt Post Lincoln— The Post Master. Bai nett, Esq. Midtoayzt-Softn E. F rasev, Esq. - Si. Mdry’s** Major Clark, P. M. ; Abbeville, & Moses W. Without intending any disparage • tftent to the toseful and valuable pa* peVs printed in Augusta, Miltedge- Ville and elsewhere in this State, we Will take the liberty to mention thg . following considerations as in some degree retommending this to public pairoqage, and especially in the bp* per eovmn&llra^pfc^SwßfMM^l It will be large y and will conse quently! contain not only a variety, but a considerable quantity of mat ter—selected with care. It will be puhlrsed at the Seat of the University of this State, and Will derive from that circumstance tome general intertit and import-, thee. It will bd published on Thursday feVcry week soon ,After the arrival of the Northern and Southern Mails at’ this place, ahd will contain a condensed summary of the-latest and most interesting hews from the North and South* * ~ v From a direct communication thro* Greenville. S. C. Sc Buncombe to Tennessee this paper will proba bly derive the earliest intelligence ‘ from Tennessee* Kentucky, Ohio & other Northern and Western States and Territories. It will contain besides tnon subjects 61 a newspaper, some* tnoral) religions and scientific mat ter, which will be carefully selected and made as far as possible subset-* *lenr to the practice of Christianity Shdto the pursuits of common life* The more effectually to attain this Abject, we here Leave respectful ly to invite and Sblicit gentlemen of Science, who are friends to man kind, and who would meliorate the condition of human life> to favor us with their aid. Pieces on the vari- subjects alluded to, whether ori % ginal or well selected, will be thank fully received—-subject however to the correction and modification of the Editors. Nothing Sectarian will b« admitted. Not only the man of but the plain practical philo sopher, the ingenious farmer and mechanic may be useful here.~ From them will be gladly received and attentively noticed any useful discoveries and improvements in a irnulmr? 0T Ihe arts- It is jtoi imtM&tyU tfcii pops* •hall be made the vehicle of private or personal scurrility and abuse* , “TS those gentlemen who haVe be nevolently forwarded, by a liberal advance, the ; publication of the Ga zette, the Editors beg leave to ten der their grateful acknowledgements —Their future endeavors they trust, will go to prove that this liberality has not been wholly misplaced. v t ICJT Gentlemen holding Subscrip tion papers for the Gazette, arfres peetfully requested to transmit to the Editors immediately the names of sub scribers* ||VE *sy. t Y - v ’ * v - *’ ‘ . m •*.* (BY REQUEST.) Rise, Progress, and Poiiey, of Alle viating Laws* —ijsSfe: 1 “ 1 ’, Gm 9, D*. G, Nothing so strongly marks the retrograding of the people of this state in legislation as the spirit of innovation and change, and the con stant endeavor to introduce new, 1 and extraordinary experiments into ‘ their system of jurisprudence. But few of their fibvel systems h ive even the plausibility of the theory upon yyhich they can rest. Upon a view then, 4 good .judge would really think, that the mind had been tor tured to produce any thing so ab surd. One thing at least is certain, that in legislating they have forsa ken all those principles niid dogmas which philosophers have been at so much pains to prove to be the foun dation of good policy in a Repubkc. Montesque, Priestly and others were of opinion that virtue and public spirit are essentially, necessary to support this form ‘of govemteient*-a. The legislature of this state seem to be trying an experiment to prove thisxloctrine false.l have been led into this conclusion by considera tions upon the policy , Tor several years back, adopted by them* of *f Alleviating the Condition of Debt ors s ” or in other words, of totally suspending the legal means Os ob taining what is justly due from one citizen to another, upon any account whatever. You no doubt recollect that in the year 1807,.up0n the a doption of an unexpected govern mental measure, many believed that a sudden decrease of the price of all products for iiiarket would ensue, , } which in its consequences would be extensively injurious* AthO* this decrease was far short of tne pro phecies of many who pretended to be leaders in politics, yet itatforded a theme for conversation amoAg the wise, and their great heads Were ini* mediately employed iA devising means of affording relief to Ue peo ple. Most unfortunately a judge of this state, fat preseAt a S—in C— who was always remark able for the wariAth of his charac ter, without any thing like deliberate, reflection, adopted the idea, tbab#kh? out immediate legislative relief, half of the state would be beggared. Xhe conduct, of the legislature since that period, has proved to this character, who is really a good man, that he Only bridled a hobby for demagogues. His hasty opinion induced him§<C suspend the proceedings of. a court, and address the Executive upon the subject. The Executive Depart* merit was then filled by a man whose« elevation had bepn produced by a combination ot tavorable circum stances. He received the judge’s communication with even more s erh oysrtesi than it had been made. The legislature was Convened, and a mes sage sent by whfch*the matter was seriously recommended to its consi deration. The legislature still more seriously took the* matter up, and the result of their deliberations was, to tally to ings between plaintiff and defendant with very few exceptions. The measure astonished all parties. The honest were incredulous, and even the kpave equired if it could be pos* sible ? Thus commenced that sys tem of ‘ Alleviation* in this state which has rendered her atLobject of ridicule to ail her sisters. The wise, and considerate, have declaimed a* gainst it from its adoption. Its e viU, jts consequences, have been exposed by the norable character* conduct it was originated. ttt will you be lieve it: It still maintains its popula rHy.aud nuw ip full operation. * once heard you express some- IbHtg like a fovor#ljto opinion of this iagnttiet wiUi Am ATHMS , THURSpAT, MARCH 31, 181*. curiofitr VyAWh you have so of* tert laughed at me, has led me t(V make sbme reflections upon its ef fects upon the state of society, and others have resulted in a belief of its great jtipolicy* Should yoU still maintaid your favorable opinion of it, ihy course of Reasoning Will be acceptable, although it may dot cod* vince you; Evpn in A state of nature than tfas social to a given extent. Seff-inte. rest and his wants lead him to seek a connexion with Others* From this connexion and the depravity of ku» . manityy wrongs and perSbnal injuries /irose* These consisted either in the extrcise of unprovoked ’Violence, fraud, or .the breach of engagements , or contracts which the wants of men imposed upon them the necessity of making, and were redressed by the individual to whom they were done or offered, by such means as his strength of body or his ingenuity enabled him to execute* Were he insulted or stricken 5 by his own arm he immediately sought redress and revenge. Were there a breach of some engagement, or promise ritacle Kim for some service or good he had rendered; his ingenuity was employed, bis will being his only . laW, to and attain a sufficient indemnification. this state of things arose a thousand evils, black and disgraceful, leading in their train wars, contention and blood* shed. With the increase of mans kind, ahd then? consequent increase •>of . mutual dependence, did these multiply, and the precariousness <bf personal security, at length forced them into societies or governments V forced them to surrender to the whole body certain persona) rights and priv ledges, in order that they might enjoy such as they retained with greater security* Among the first Was that of indivi dual revenge or redress for Wrongs done them by violence, fraud dr breach of contract! and agreements. This th.e body- politic Undertook to procure for them, whenever it was sought. The means 1 by which it Should be attained are defined and explained in what we call laws ;*■* The instruments that are to execute those means are the courts of justice and its officers. To refuse these m#Uy, by suspending the laws, closing the doors of the courts, ort tying the hands of the officers. Is* tyranny *nd oppression in any go vernment., Because the individual is then deprived of both his natural and social mearts of redress. The ( goV verrtment or society.says to him * will not afford you the means of re dress, and if you exercise any I will punish you** In a monarchy this wotilid afford sufficient grounds to. drag the despot from l\is thrOne, and trample his authority in tfie dUst.-a* But in this, Republic* it is called good policy* 1 shall close the Reasoning by adding that the oppression' is increased in* proportion to the nu mber to Whom the means of redress are rtftised ft to the length of time they are held. ‘ . , The arguments in support of |he . policy aye few.- Its supporters urge ‘ that the numbei* of Debtors ~ls greatly superior to that of the Crd fl the first jtre composed of the industrious farmers and me chanics* and the latter chiefly of the merchants,\ arid that the interests of jßgLi&tter shobld be suspended In (a* vor of the former, Who Would be fttuhed incase the goverrinTent per mitted their jdebts to be ‘collected from them*’ However true the pre mises, the conclusion is fraught With error in fact, - injustice in principle, and bad policy in its consequences. * Montesque and after him Or; priestly thought that 4 when the laws ceased to be executed iii a Republic* Which can heyjrf proceed from any r thing but corruption , aH is lost/-** Because it argues that virtue and public spirit liate^ceased to Operate Upon the minds of the people, and in proportion with their decrease, d6 degeneracy, extravagance and vice increase. Would td God ihat this truth were more inculeated-upon the minds of the citizens of our Repub lic than it 13 | What a list of evil laws, ending with that under consi deraUap£*fWOuki be avoided ? But the legislature of this state in adopt* ing this alleviating policy, appear to have forgotten this truth with ano ther still more obvious, That in the best state of society?the ma jority of mankind are depraved and dishonest, and eagerly adopt at ctifs hf! W »«MUrb wblsb they can ednstnie to be a legal sanction of their vices It will ever be avaitt attempt to make men tuous by suspending thU punishment of their Vices, or destroying the means of ‘compelling them to be ho ttest Adting as they doi from mo mentary impulse, they Will never look ijpto consequences, and so long as they can live without it, they ne* ver will labor to avoid a future incon venience of evil* In as long as Hercules will help tjleTrt, they will never help themselves. 1 Hence, the greater the number Os laws for the relief of debtors* the greater Will be the number of debtors to a», vail themselves of them. By rcHCV* ing them when in debt, the,eVilof running in debt Will never be decreas ed ; because no proof is given them that it. is ait eviU But a rigorous ex ecution of the laWs, would sdon teach them the talpropriety rtf living above their income. On the contrary—if the laWs are not enforced, they srt>n adopt a belief that their extrava gance is sanctioned, and the depraV* ity of their, minds lead them to in crease the evih The history of this system in this state, most conclusive ly proves these positions. Mer chants and Others., whose sources of calculation were great, and may be relied On, have assured me that the number of debtofs is now greater* than at any former period. ‘I'M number Os those who have availed themselves Os the relief afforded, is Very inconsiderable. Many are, and indeed have declared themselves, in funds co pay, but will n6t u» •* *hey are Such are the mis* crcants whose noise and clamors have produced this System. The perseverance with Which this law is kept in force, impressed upon my mind the great similitude that is giVer* by it of XM people of this state, to the poor iii England. For many years has that government been a dopting means for their relief.-* , The poor rales haVe been undergo ing a regular increase from the reign of Elizabeth. Measure upon mea sure has been tried to decrease, at i least keep stationary, their number, by relieving dnly those of a par tic u* lar description* But the list grow* With every struggle, and more than once has increased to an alarmilig height. The CohseqUenct is, that their wisest politicians and phileSo-* phers are at length convinced, that “ if every man who Is reduetd to poverty* bv whatever means, be al lowed to have a claim Upon the com mon stock for subsistence, great numbers who are indifferent about any thing beyond a bare subsistence* will be improvident, spending%cry : tiling they get in the most extrava* ganfc manner, as knowing they haye resource itt the provision which the law makes for them; and the greater is the provision that il tUade for the; poor, the more poor thet® Will be to avail thetaSjlves of it, as in general men will not submit to labor if they can live Without. By this means man instead of being the most prbvident of animals as he naturally would be is the most im provident of them all. Having no Ofcca&ibn for foresight, fte thinks of nothing beyond the pre&entittdiiieht, and thus is reduced to a condition lower than the beasts/* Were'you here and would observe the effect of alleviating laws upon society, you Would be struck, as 1 was, with the aptness of the comparison.— * Yoii have Only to make a ,change in words* and substitute debtors for poor and ihe feasdning is equally forci ole; I once mentioned the simili tude in cbrtveisation with- a gentle man of considerable merit in this state. He admitted Its truth, but insisted that there shtmW be no change in terms / for that the legis lature had acted toward* the debtors, as tho’ they were paupers. Good God, and is it possible that the"mem bers of this rich staid, abounding in every necessary* blessed witn an ex cellent soil, and a thin population, where the most ordmary industry can produce not only the comforts, but the luxuries of life, are to be de nominated, and relieved a&, a sqcjl* rr of paupers. Had any good ever resulted from the adoption of this system, the tnsuths of its opposers should be shut* But none-ever has, or ever will, proceed from it. Instead ot making tnen more cautious, it has made them more careless. Indus try, economy, ind that.virtue so in dispensible ih * Bepiplic, honesty, ttri the * kl 3L £ * 4 * extras / !i > ts who ate powder,* ate daily enlarging tbelli numbeg Smxh are the demontlT effects bf this law. The situt atibn tff the merchants, traders huJ mechanics who have sold goo :» or rtndereu their services upbn acre* ( ht, is deplorable. By unconvn ->n exertions the first class has hereto fore brought almost every necessary, and very many of the luxuries of the world* to, etery man’s dobr. Fori these ht involved himself with the whdkstle merchant ol* othefr states* and retails them here upon a credit, to every dlizen, Under mi hottest confidence that the I'aWs will always enable him to recover the debt, if the debtor is refractory.■*—» That COttftdence in the laws is de* strb) v td & the Which it heretofore afforded the merchant* mechanic, and tverf the hbnefct tYr mer* great and extensively bCnefitidl exertions, is vanished* like the baseless fabric of a vis On !*<— For suCh as he has made, he is com forted with the prospect of a diriy prisbh, to which he is subjected by a process of the Federal courts’, which still remain Open. Hard indeed, that such should 1)e his fate, while thnre tfie amount of what Would release him is dUe from his neighbors; And What do you suppose is the argrt mehts offered to obviate this cOiim • quenGe ? Not one providing any re* lief or comfort, but one which con veys mil ins Ult in are told, that it Was ‘ (heir oton fault that they* sold oh a credit ,* by the very creatures whom they had indulged and obliged. 1 said it conveyed an retract the expressions. SuCh an argument is .the highest prOof of the merenanta'honesty ,nd goodness of heart, and of his cttsiot lifer’s dishonesty and want of giati* tilde* Howe /er> they have the har dihood 10 make it, without reflecting that it might also be said it was their fault (and one greater that! the mer- to solicit a credit . Proper ly Considered the retaliation must bc hamiliatiiig td all of them who have • any remains of feeling. 1 Os nd faCt am l ttettef convinced from nty Observations than that the pressure of the times requires no such measure of relief. The asto nishing ease with which the, people live, the style and parade which they keep up 5 the high price of cotton attd flour, the first beirig from 11 to to 13 dollars andthe latter 7 dollars per hundred, and indeed of a j other marketable productions, prove this Added to this, the wise, the sober and industrious ad mit the fact from their own experi ence. Os su *.h however a*-e n >'t <ri tirely the legislature of this state Matty members of that body are de magogues, ambitious of being mrm bers Only for the honor of the title* and not to promote the public good. They strive not to effect as much good as possible, blit to continue Members as long as possible* Td do this they khow that they must please the greatest number of the They possess sufficient ingenuity to kfidw that such gseatest number, are mdt the most virtuous. Hence, to btitaiii their suffrages they sacHflcd their own virtue and patriotism Up on the altar of the wicked pfdpensi ties and extravagant deSirdS of the ihajority Os their ednsti iidtttsv*~ From this source proceeds that spi rit of change and Untried novelties* for which this state is so remarka ble. They dte indeed intended only as expedients, and means of tempo* rary gratification and relief* and not as measures of lasting beneficial fcortsequencei Nothing but the ini* prove meat of the mind and heart will ever stop the progress rtf this growing evil. Whether it is not now too late to commence so glori ous a work, I Will not at present de termine ; but I venture to propncrcy 4hat Unless it is commenced and ef fected* the s'ate of Georgia will rte* ver oe respectable. Many maintain that the la# Is tin* constitutional— l am inclined to t at opinion niyself, but do not now fedL a humour to discuss it. Perhaps J£ may do it in a futurt letter. Adieu, Dr. G». : W r . 1./'* - yv T- 9^—-. Death of Ikcumse*. ; |C7* VVe extract the following^save the farmer** Register of I'roy] frou* a valuable work entitled/ 4 Views A the campaigns of the Northern &c’’ written by Mr* SamuJ| and just issued f. ouM tfo. PlI,